Five years later
by randomSG1
Summary: So Danny didn't come back in season 7, but things change at Josh and Donna's wedding. CJ/Danny.
1. Chapter 1

Not quite sure where this came from, but trying to avoid revision!

And the characters don't belong to me…..

Danny lent on the balcony, slowly sipping a glass of whiskey, looking over the celebrations of the rest of the wedding guests. He swirled the liquid and smiled wistfully. It seems no one and everyone could have predicted this day. Who would have thought Josh would get it together enough to actually marry Donna. It put him to shame that was for sure.

A hand on his shoulder stirred him from his thoughts.

"Hey, man. Congratulations." He grabbed Josh into a 'manly' one-armed hug being fairly careful not to spill his drink onto the head of some politically important invitee below.

"Thanks, I've gotta say it feels pretty good." They returned to Danny's previous position, observing the crowd.

Danny's gaze remained fixed on one particular person below, this did not go unnoticed by Josh. "When was the last time you saw her?" Josh asked quietly.

Danny sighed and looked back into his glass. "The last time I was in The White House, after the whole Shariff thing I suppose."

Josh's head shot up to look at his friend. "That was five years ago! You haven't seen her since then?"

"Well no, I am quite the avid CSPAN watcher."

"You know what I mean."

"Yeah, she made it pretty clear she didn't want to see me, so that was that."

"Wow, I can't believe you backed down that easily."

Danny stood up straight and turned to Josh. "You think it was easy for me? You think I haven't thought about her everyday? She made her decision and there wasn't anything I could do about that."

He moved back to rail and as he did caught her eyes in his. She smiled at him, but he was unable to move in return and the brief contact was lost as her attention returned to whatever it was former President Bartlet was animatedly describing. Probably a national park or something.

"Hey, I didn't mean to ….."

"Nah, it's okay."

"Yeah. Hey, you should talk to her. It's been a long time, maybe things are different. I mean she's not even in The White House anymore."

"I don't think that's the best idea."

"Okay. Well, look, I'll see you later. Donna's giving me a signal, I'm not sure which one it is though. Oh wait, I think it's 'save me from this idiot', gotta go."

Danny resumed his quiet contemplation, noting that there was no longer any sign of CJ.

"You know, you come to a party and stand on your own…people will start to wonder."

"Well you know how it is, half of 'em I don't know and the other half I don't wanna know." He joked.

"Which group do I fall into?"

"You would be one of the exceptions to the rule."

"Really, I wasn't sure. I mean I vaguely remember shunning you."

"Yes, well, I've been told I lack dignity."

"If you lacked dignity it wouldn't have been five years since I last saw you."

"Maybe not. So how you doing? I heard you were off saving the world."

"I like to think I'm doing my bit." CJ smiled and moved to stand next to Danny.

"CJ, what are you doing here?"

"I thought I'd come talk to an old friend."

"CJ?" He asked warningly.

CJ sighed. "I saw you and I don't know I guess I felt something and I wanted to talk to you. That and I wanted to apologize."

At that Danny's eyebrows shot up. "Apologize?"

"Yeah, for what I said before. Only not so much what I said. More that I didn't mean it, only I did."

"Well I'm confused."

"Me too. What I mean is I said what I did because you came back and I couldn't stop thinking about you and it was distracting me and I couldn't be distracted. I had important work to do. So I said what I did so you'd stop chasing me and I could focus on my work." She paused, thinking he was going to say something, but he didn't. "The only problem was it didn't stop me thinking about you." She quietly added on.

He turned his head to look her in the eyes but remained silent.

"Look, I'd understand if you don't want to talk to me. But I was hoping we could have dinner, talk, without the rest of DC in attendance." To make her point she glanced over at where Bartlet stood with Charlie pretending they weren't looking in their direction.

"How's tomorrow?"

"What?"

"Tomorrow – for dinner?"

"Tomorrow," she said surprised at his apparent eagerness. "Yes, tomorrow sounds good."

"Good then."


	2. Chapter 2

"Hey, sorry I'm a little late." Danny said as he reached the table.

CJ stood up and kissed him on the cheek. "That's okay, I started on the wine though."

"I had a meeting with my publisher, went on longer than I expected."

"Ah, you written a new book?"

"Yes." Danny replied sounding very pleased with himself, but remaining cryptic.

"You just going to keep me hanging like this?"

"I'm teaching you some patience, you can wait just like everyone else." He watched CJ as she leant her chin in her hand and played with her fork in the other. "What, you not going to talk to me now?"

"Actually I think you're the one not talking to me."

"You really want to know about the book?"

CJ sat up straight smiling at Danny. "I really do."

"Akay. Well my publisher has been trying to get me to write an autobiography and I thought this was kinda mean, I got more to do you know?"

"Sure." CJ replied as she nodded along.

"So, instead, I decided to write up some notes from when I was in Africa. Sort of like a travelogue, but more about the people I met while I was there. Their stories, not mine."

"That sounds like something you would write."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. So when do I get to read it?"

"Wow, you really do lack patience, don't you."

"Hmm, perhaps not with everything though."

"Now who's being cryptic?"

"I just meant…. It shouldn't have been five years. I thought about coming to see you."

Danny's eyes shot up from their focus on the tablecloth. "But?"

"I guess I was afraid of knowing. Knowing that I had hurt you so much you would never talk to me again."

"Well, I'm here, right?"

"Yes you are."

"I think I was more mad at you than anything else. That you wouldn't even give us a chance."

"I couldn't, Danny."

"No, you think you couldn't have. You think it wouldn't have worked."

"Danny," CJ sighed, considering whether to continue. "It wasn't just me in my head telling me it was a bad idea."

"I don't….what do you mean?"

"I was told I couldn't see you."

"By who?" Danny asked in a voice that demanded an answer.

"The president, Leo…."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because it was better you were mad at me."

"What, better for the president, for the white house?"

"No, better for you, for your work." She paused to allow it to sink in. "Think about it, would you have written in the same way if you were pissed off at the president personally? No, you wouldn't have. You have an amazing talent, Danny, and I couldn't let your work suffer because of me, because of my work." CJ stroked her thumb over Danny's hand, which she was now holding and looked into his eyes, trying to work out what he was thinking.

"So, you were pushing me away to help me?"

"Yeah, both of us I suppose."

"And now? With you over a year out of that 'glorious prison'?"

"Now, I'm finding time for more important things. Like sleeping and seeing the friends that are still talking to me after eight years of ignoring them."

Danny laughed a little at that. "Yeah? So you got any room for a semi-retired/ burnt-out reporter in this new life of yours?"

"Oh, I think I could make a little room, you're kinda short."

"Be nice and I'm not short, you're just freakishly tall, it's a good thing for you I just happen to like that."

"Uhuh. What did you mean 'burnt-out', I noticed you haven't had much in the Post recently."

"Looking out for my name were ya?" He paused and grinned at her but carried on more seriously. "I was getting too tired for that crap, seen it all before just with different faces. I write enough for them to keep me on staff but my head's not in it. That's partly the reason for this book, something different, get outta politics."

"You don't seem happy about it. When you used to talk about your work you were always so animated, so focussed."

"It wore me down I guess, I'm looking for something new. I don't know what though. Something to get me excited again."

"You got any ideas?"

Danny took a sip from his wine glass and placed it back on the table. "Well, I got a friend, head of the English department at Georgetown, been asking me if I was interested in lecturing for years now. And I've always laughed him off, but now, now I'm thinking perhaps that's not a bad idea. Mould some young minds and all that."

CJ smiled at him. "I think you'd be really good at that. Go inspire, Danny."


End file.
